Bianca

Tucked away on the second floor of Akaru Hanazono Go-ban-gai in Shinjuku Golden Gai, bar BIANCA is a pocket-sized bar run by owner Naho — self-described as a "shy, easygoing '90s music fan" — and staff member Hiroko. Each night's opening is announced on the official X account (@bar_bianca) with a refreshingly casual note on who's behind the bar ("first half Hiroko, second half the owner"), which sums up the bar's unhurried personality perfectly. The star of the menu is the highball, endorsed by the bar itself with a straightforward "it's delicious" — no frills, just a well-made drink. Climb the narrow staircase, push open the door, and you'll find '90s pop and rock playing softly in the background, with a counter so intimate that conversation with the staff starts almost on its own. It's an easy solo entry point into Golden Gai — Naho and Hiroko's unpretentious warmth dismantles any first-timer awkwardness in short order. Check the official X account for that evening's opening hours before you head over.